Improvement in galvanic batteries



J. BLACKI'E. GALvANlC BATTERY.

N0. 49,824. Patented sept. 5, 1865.

L il il?" i ff 11'/ f i Q IIIIIIIIIIII'lIO UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

HIMSELF, WM. C. DODGE,

AND WM. s. KING.

IMPROVEMENT IN GALVANIC BATTERIES.

Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No. 49,824, dated September 5, 1865.

To dll jwhom 'it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN BLACKIE, of XVasningtcn city, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Batteries for Generating Electricity; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact del scription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, iu which one ofA the jars or cells, with its accompanying parts, is shown in section.

The nature of my invention consists in so constructing a battery that it can be used for a long time without other care or attention than merclykeeping itsupplied with the proper acid, and at the same time preserve the zinc cup or plates from the unequal and rapid decomposition so common in batteries as generally constructed. y

A represents a glass or other suitable jar for containing the acid. This jar is provided with a cover or stopper consisting of two metallic disks, c and c', having a rubber ring, b, inserted between them in such a position as to protrude slightlybeyond the periphery of the plates aand a.

A stud or short bolt, c, projects from the upper surface of plate c', and passes through a hole in plate c, beingprovided with a thumbscrew, d, at its upper end, by which the two plates can be drawn together,l and by compressing the rubber ring b cause it to protrude laterally against the inner sides of the neck of the jar, whereby the cover is held securelyin place and the jar stopped perfectly tight.

A small hole, e, is made in the lower plate, a', and a similar hole, f, is made through the upper plate, c; but these holes, instead of being one directly over the other, are placed at opposite sides, as shown in the drawing. By this means the liquid in the jar is prevented from being spilled or thrown out when the jar is moved or carried about-as, for instance,on ship-board, or when carriedl in a carriage of any kindas itis obvious that any liquid which may be dashed upward through hole ewill impinge against the under surface of plate a, and being thus arrested will ilow back into the jar.

To the under side of plate a three wires or .small rods, lr/,are securely attached and project to near the bottom ofthe jar, their lower ends being united to a coppcrring, l1., the rods g bein g'insulated by being covered with indiarubber or other suitable substance.

A rubber or gutta-percha, cup. B, is secured to the copper rin gh, as shown in the drawings, the cup being made double, so as to leave an open passage vertically through its center for the liquid to iiow or pass readily through, and in` this cup is placed a small quantity of quicksilver, t'. A zinc cylinder, C, cut longitudinally through-its center, is then placed so as to encircle the rods g, with its lower end resting in the cup B and immersed in the quicksilver 'i therein. A smaller cylinder, D, made of thin lcorrugated sheet-silver, is then secured in the space 'between the three rods g, as shown in the drawings. To this silver tube or plate D an insulated wire, It, is attached, which passes thence up through the plates a and c', as shown. The parts being placed in position, as shown, the jar is then' filled nearly full of dilutesul phuric acid, theacid reaching up to the .linezv or higher, so as to cover entirely the zinccyh inder C. When thus arranged the Quicksilver in the cup B is drawn by capillary attraction up the sides of the zinc tube, whereby its entire surface is kept constantly coated with a thin lm of the quicksilver, so long as the zinc is kept wet, and it is for this purpose that the zine is entirely immersed inthe acid. By this means thevzinc is protected from the rapid and local decomposition which is so apt to occur in the batteries in general u se. Experience has shown thatsuch local action upon the zinc plate is most likely to occur at the surface of the liquid when the zinc is only partially immersed;

bntby having it entirely immersed, as here shown, the entire surface 'of the zinc is kept coated with the quicksilver, and is thereby protected and made to last for a much longer period. This being the case, the necessity for frequent examination and renewal of the zinc plates is obviated, and hence this battery may be used for months without any other attention or care than merely to supply the liquid lost by evapora-tion, a battery constructed on this plan vhaving been used continuously for ten months'without repair.

The advantages of such a battery will be ap parent to all familiar with the use of such instruments, especially in operating telegraphlines, Where much time and attention is neoessarily bestowed on the ordinary batteries to keep them in working order.

It' it be desired to unite a series of these jars in order` to form a stronger battery, it is only necessary to unite the Wire 7a of one jar to the stud c of another, which can be readily done by bending the Wire around the stud c and screwf ing the nut d tightly down upon it. In this way any desired number may be united, and a buttery of any desired strength formed. The current from one jar will then pass from stud c to plate a', thence down the insulated rods g, and thus be added to the current generated in the second jar. .A

Hoving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. rlhe cup B, suspended by the insulated rods g, and plate or ring h, as herein shown and described. y

2. The perforated plate a and o', provided .Withthe stud c and nut d, when constructed as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination of the cup B, provided' with mercury, the zinc plates C,and the silver plate D, all submerged and arranged to operate substantially as and forv the purpose set forth.

JOHN BLACKIE.

Witnesses:

W. C. DODGE, R. D. O. SMITH. 

